In emergency situations, rapid access to a structure through a locked door maybe critical. For example, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), fireman and policeman may need access to a locked building. In many such cases, the EMTs, fireman and police may enter the building by means of a battering ram, pry bar, lock cutter and cutting and removal tools and the like. Some of these approaches result in the destruction of a door. Other approaches focus on the lock mechanism.
For example, a U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,123 of Cobe, Jr. discloses a combination firefighter's tool. As disclosed therein, the tool includes an elongate handle, one end of which tapers into a wedge shape that is used for prying. The other end includes an arcuate portion with inwardly angled projections creating a spanner wrench for use with hose couplings. One side of the arcuate portion includes a cylindrical member with a flat face suited for a hammering operation. The other end of the arcuate portion includes claw members diverging from a narrow portion proximal the arcuate member and cooperates with the arcuate member in a prying operation. A pin member extends in a plane perpendicular to the plane formed by the elongate handle and the arcuate member and is located for use in removing hinge pins from doors.
A more recent Patent Application Publication No. 2004/01776662 of Bosse discloses a Lock Removal Tool. As disclosed therein, a lock removal tool is a forcible entry tool designed to facilitate forcible entry through a locked door or other barricaded entry ways during an emergency situation. The lock removal door comprises an elongated bar having a lock cutting tool on one end and a tool piece such as a screw driver or allen wrench extending from the other end. A slide hammer mechanism having first and second impact collars fixed near the ends of the bar and a weight slideably disposed on the bar between the impact collars allows a significant force to be imparted to the lock cutting tool. The lock cutting tool itself is a flat metal plate with a bifurcated leading edge, the bifurcation forming a lock cutting slot. The leading edge is tapered to allow the lock cutting tool to be inserted underneath a door knob or locked base palte.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and maybe a commercial market for an emergency door opening tool set in accordance with the present invention. There should be a need because such sets are primarily designed for use with a particular type of lock as widely used in Kuwait. Further, such tool sets can be used to gain access to a room or structure through a locked door with little or no damage to the door and minimal damage to a lock assemble. Further, such sets are durable, relatively compact, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and relatively easy to carry and store in an inexpensive carrier such as a fabric bag.